A GWENT widower whose wife died of cancer claims a hospital's lack of action cheated him of her life.

William Swithin, of Fleur- de-Lys, near Blackwood, al-leges his wife, Jean, would still be alive had it not been for the weeks she had to wait for vital treatment at New-port's Royal Gwent Hospital.

A spokesman for the hospital said it has not received a complaint from Mr Swithin, but a complaints procedure exists that allows for a full inquiry. He added: "We will discuss any issues that will concern him and this will not affect in any way his right to make a formal complaint or seek legal redress."

Mrs Swithin died at her home in Ivor Street on January 10, aged 61. Her taxi driver husband, also 61, is so angry at the slow treatment he claims she received that he has instructed lawyers to take action against the hospital.

"I feel they have cheated me out of my wife," he said. "If she had got proper treatment straight away I believe she would still be here with me today."

A SPOKESMAN for the Royal Gwent Hospital said: "Mr Swithin has had no contact with the hospital about the tragic loss of his wife and the matters that concern him.

"This is the first we have known about his worry. "To help him the Trust have a complaints procedure that he might wish to follow that allows for a full inquiry into the circumstances of her death and an independent assessment of the care she received.

"If Mr Swithin would like to contact us we will discuss any issues that will concern him and this will not affect in any way his right to make a formal complaint or seek legal redress," he added.